Work and Immigration to Canada as Truck Drives in 2024 

Immigration programs to immigrate to Canada as a truck driver

The occupation of truck driving is among the NOC list and is a skilled worker. There are various ways to immigrate to Canada as a truck driver.

You just need to do research and find out which one is appropriate for your conditions.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program

There are websites where you can look for a job in Canada. Indeed, job bank and Monster.ca are among them. If you find a job offer with a Canadian employer, you can immigrate to Canada as a truck driver.

The employer needs to apply for a certificate called LMIA. It indicates that there is no Canadian PR or citizen to fill the job position.

Getting LMIA often requires a lot of paperwork and spending money on it.

Immigration through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is a bit hard but not impossible. You can try your chance. If not, you can try other immigration routes.

As Canada is planning to bring 400.000 immigrants to the country, you have a higher chance of getting accepted through the TFWP. The country desperately needs truck drivers, and the Covid-19 pandemic intensified the citation.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot

It is an immigration program that enables the Atlantic provinces in Canada to bring the skilled workers they need to the country:

• Newfoundland and Labrador,
• Prince Edward Island,
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot also welcomes people who have studied in one of these provinces.

There are three subcategories of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. You can apply through one of them that suits your conditions:

• Atlantic International Graduate Program
• Atlantic High-Skilled Program
• Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program

Not everyone is qualified to apply through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. Applicants need to meet a few conditions to be eligible:

• Have one year of work experience
• Have a high school diploma identical to a Canadian credential
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report
• English or French fluency test
• Proof to have enough funds

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

This popular immigration program enables the Canadian provinces to bring the skilled worker they need to the country.

Each province might have a different need for skilled workers. You need to check regularly and find out what is required at the moment.

The provinces that provide PNP programs are as follows:

• Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)
• Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
• Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP)
• Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NS PNP)
• Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
• Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NL PNP)
• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NW PNP)
• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
• Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

Express Entry program

It is a general immigration program introduced in 2015 to address the need for skilled workers in Canada. You can say that It is the biggest and most popular Canadian immigration program.

Applicants who are accepted through Express Entry apply for PR and receive it directly.

Express Entry works on a points baes system, and applicants with the highest points get ITAs (Invitation to Apply) to receive PR. the determining factors are:

• age
• work experience
• education
• language proficiency

There are three subcategories with the Express Entry, and applicants must apply through one. Each one of them is different and is designed to bring a particular group of candidates to Canada.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program

Applicants who do not have academic education but have the skilled occupation required in Canada can apply through this stream. The required jobs are mainly in the industrial and service sectors. But the Federal skilled worker program is mainly for the highly skilled workers who have a higher form of education.

The requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are as follows:

• Language proficiency
• Two years of work experience
• Have the skill on the NOC list
• Job offer

Express Entry works on a points-based score. The higher your score, the higher your likelihood you to get accepted into the program.

You can increase your score by the above factors.

FSTP was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic but will reopen in June. So it is a great chance to immigrate to Canada as a truck driver.

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

It is a program for people who are working in Canada temporarily or have working experience in Canada. However, you need to have one year of working experience to be eligible. They get the chance to apply for PR and improve their conditions.

Living in Canada gives applicants high enough scores to be accepted in the CEC. The application process is not hard, and you will get results in 3-4 months.

IRCC has a free tool on its website that helps you determine your score on the CEC program. It will tell you whether you are eligible to apply for it or not. It is recommended to use it and evaluate your chance.

The point is you can work on your conditions and improve your score. For example, you can take English or French language tests and improve your point.

You can find out more about the CEC from the right sidebar.

Saskatchewan Experience – Long-Haul Truck Driver

A few truck drivers are eligible to apply through the Saskatchewan Experience – Long-Haul Truck Driver.

Applicants need to have working experience in Saskatchewan in a truck company for at least six months.

There are other eligibility principles for drives as follows:

• Have a job offer from a Canadian employer in Saskatchewan
• Have a Saskatchewan Class 1A driver’s license.
• Have a CLB 4 or higher in English.
• Have a valid SINP Job Approval Letter.

Candidates need to apply through the Government of Saskatchewan website, immigration.saskatchewan.ca.

They need to complete the sections with the required information, then upload the scanned version of the documents. Then they can submit the application and wait for the results.

What are the benefits of being a truck driver in Canada?

The below list are some of the benefits of immigrating to Canada as a truck driver. You will experience a wonderful life there and get to see and experience many wonders.

Good salary

You can expect to earn about $55,000 and $70,000 per year as a truck driver in Canada. It is well paid and can cover all of your expenses.

As truck drivers receive PR through the Express Entry, they do not have to pay for healthcare and education of families or children.

So the salary is well enough to have a good life in Canada.

It’s fun to enjoy the great nature

Nature is almost unspoiled in Canada. There are a lot of natural wonders to see and enjoy. As a truck driver, you can have fun while working and enjoy the great nature of mountains and jungles.

Besides, truck drivers get to visit the whole country. Cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and other cities have their own wonder.

You never get bored in cities with the attractions and things to do. Moreover, you get the opportunity to meet people from various parts of the world. It is likely to meet a person from your home country or the city you used to live in.

Flexible shifts

Truck drivers may get flexible working hours and shifts. The long and short routes provide you with a schedule for working or shifts.

Free education and healthcare

When you apply through Express Entry and PNP, you will receive PR or Permanent Residency. Healthcare and education are free for you and your family.

International students or temporary workers need to spend a large amount of money on these two items. So you will have two huge benefits over them.

Job Security

Truck drivers are among the most in-demand jobs in Canada. That is not going to change in the near future so they can be assured to have a well-paid job with brilliant benefits.

Travel while your work

Walk in the streets or drive on the roads and you will never get bored. You will see a new landscape every time. A truck driver will have the chance to explore the amazing nature of Canada while making good money.

Who hires immigrated truck drivers in Canada?

Canada is the second-largest company in the world. There is always a need to move goods and products across the country. The demand became larger even during the Covid-19 pandemic that products were to be sent across the country. Truck drivers had a hectic schedule during the pandemic and had to work 24/7.

Canada plans to bring about 400.000 immigrants to the country in 2022. Truck drivers are among them, so you would better shake a leg and gather the requirements and submit your profile.

Truck drivers can expect to work in the following sections in 2022:

• manufacturing,
• transportation,
• distribution,
• moving companies
• trucking employment service agencies

Job positions for truck drivers immigrating to Canada

Canada is in demand for skilled truck drivers. The county needs more of the mand plans to bring 400.000 immigrants to the country in 2022.

This is a brilliant opportunity for skilled truck drivers. The Covid-19 pandemic proved the need for truck drivers, and the government is determined to bring them.

Below are the positions related to a truck driver you can work with. Getting familiar with them can help you visualize the future and prepare yourself with the required conditions:

• Muskeg tractor operator
• Moving van driver
• Moving truck driver
• Mobile concrete mixer driver
• Automobile carrier driver
• Mobile cement mixer driver
• Bulk goods truck driver
• Low-bed semi-trailer driver
• Dumpster truck driver
• Long haul truck driver
• Flatbed truck driver
• Long haul tractor-trailer driver
• Groceries long haul driver
• Heavy truck driver
• Line-haul driver
• Liquid fertilizer truck driver
• Gravel truck driver
• Fuel oil truck driver
• Hydrovac truck operator
• Freight truck driver
• Escort – transportation
• Logging truck driver
• Long combination vehicle (LCV) driver
• Explosives truck driver
• Dump truck driver
• Cement truck driver – construction
• Dangerous goods truck driver
• Automobile transport driver
• Bulk milk truck driver
• Coal hauler (except underground mining)
• Gasoline truck operator
• Gravel hauler
• Log hauler
• Log truck driver
• Long-distance truck driver
• Long haul driver

Do I need an IELTS to immigrate to Canada as a truck driver?

Whether you need an IELTS certificate is up to the immigration program you choose. You would better look at the detailed article for each of the introduced immigration routes on the sidebar. You can know whether language proficiency is part of them or not.

Even if a language proficiency test is not part of the requirements, you would better prepare yourself for it. Why? Language proficiency is essential to work in Canada. The employer needs to know that you are capable of it and meet the standards. IELTS is the perfect way to prove it.

IELTS is among the approved language tests for the Federal skilled Trades Program. It increases your score on the point baes system, and you get a higher chance of acceptance.

Applicants can increase their points by a French test. You would better not miss any chance to increase your score if you have an appetite for languages.

IELTS is also part of the approved tests for the Canada Experience Class. As there are numerous sources to practice and study IELTS, you have a better opportunity to get an approved score.

So, IELTS is highly recommended for Canadian immigration programs

An immigrated truck drives salary in Canada

Truck drivers’ salary in Canada is up to various factors. But one can expect to earn at least $42,900 per year. Skilled driver’s salaries can increase by more than  $55,781 per year while beginners get about $36,075 every year.

You should know that salaries are different in the Canadian provinces. The following list can help you to make a better decision in choosing the province to immigrate to:

Not only truck drivers are an in-demand job, but the related occupations can hope to move to Canada. There are various positions for them that are brilliant and promising.

The following careers and their salaries can be a guide for you if you are determined to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker:

The mentioned salaries are different by each province. You would better search for them in the introduced websites and see how much employers pay in this province.

What affects truck drivers’ salaries in Canada?

A person who has just immigrate to Canada and begins working as a truck driver doesn’t earn the same as a person with ten years of experience. There are various factors that affect the income of truck drivers. You can say they are the determining factors in various jobs and occupations.

The below items can help you to have a better understanding of working conditions in Canada. Remember that Canada is the country of law. Not only does the government implement exactly the law, but people are in the system to follow and obey it.

Work experience

When it comes to salaries, work experience is the first and foremost determining factor. There is nothing like the work experience that can teach you about the job.

So do not expect to earn as much as the person who is in the business for years. The point is true, particularly with the Canadian work experience. That is the item Canadian employers value to a large extent. That is the king for them.

Training and Education

Your salary increases by the level of knowledge and experience you have in that job. Canada has a platform for people to improve their experience and knowledge of work through online courses or training programs. They value skilled workers and have plans to train them.

Coursera and Udemy are online platforms that you can use to learn something new. They provide fabulous language courses that you can take advantage of.

The sector you work with

People who work in the public sector earns higher than those pens in the private sector. The salary is different, but you can make it up with other elements and improve them.

Skills and specialties

Who would you hire? A driver who can drive only one type of vehicle and the one who can work with a wide range of vehicles.

The inevitable answer is the second one, so it is with the salary that the latter group earns more. Drivers who have an AZ license get the highest salaries.

The AZ-licensed drivers do not earn much compared to the drivers who work with large and heavy vehicles like

• snowy roads,
• tanker trucks,
• hauling heavy loads.

Gender

Women have the opportunity to work in various job positions, and everything is available for them But they are not paid as much as men in terms of truck driving.

Location

You will get higher in the west of Canada compared to the east side of the country. The salary is not the same in provinces and varies to some extent.

Highest paying cities for Truck Drivers in Canada

The below table can help you to find out how much truck drivers earn in Canadian cities. When you are to pick a city to live in, consider climate, language, tax, and other factors before looking at the income.

Famous trucking companies in Canada

The below list are the famous trucking companies in Canada. You can visit their website or search about them to find out more information.

They often pay the highest rate of salaries to immigrated truck drivers. They are a good beginning for your research or to begin your career.

Find out if they have a job for you in the province you want to immigrate to. Also, you can register to get vacancies notifications on the websites for job opportunities:

• Hardware fleet
• Maritime Ontario
• Tim Horton’s
• Trimac
• Mullen Trucking Corp.
• Erb Group

Websites to find a job as a truck driver in Canada

The Internet has made it easy to find a job not only in Canada but everywhere. You will likely need a job offer when immigrating to Canada as a truck driver. It increases your score in the Express Entry program. The below list of websites is the ones that help you to find a job inside Canada.

Each of these websites has various features that make the search easier.

• Monster.ca
• Ziprecruiter.ca
• Eluta.ca
• Jobbank.gc.ca
• Careerbuilder.ca
• Ca.indeed.com
• Hotjobscanada.ca
• Simplyhired.ca
• Jobs.ca
• Indeed.com

Truck drivers’ tasks and responsibilities in Canada

The working system in Canada and North American countries is different than in other parts of the world. You would better get familiar with the tasks and responsibilities of a truck driver and prepare yourself. It’s not just to drive a truck and reach your destination. Although it is unlikely that the tasks are restricted to it.

• Plan trip logistics
• Get the necessary documentation to transport goods
• Make sure cargo is secured properly
• Ensure vehicle is working properly and everything is according to standards
• special permits for international transport.
•  inspection of vehicle systems equipment
• Record cargo information
• May drive as part of a two-person team or convoy

Tasks and responsibilities are not limited to the above items. There are more and you will get familiar with them while doing the job.

Let’s sum up…

Truck drivers are in-demand jobs in Canada and they can apply through the Express Entry and other immigration programs.

Through this piece of writing, you got familiar with the immigration routes, benefits, requirements, and how to immigrate to Canada as a truck driver.

If you have questions, write them down in the comment section. The Visa Library will get to them as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions about moving to Canada as a truck driver